Living jewels guitar - Sad story

[J.R. Rogers]

Today I got the rare opportunity to play a Living Jewel Gallery-series guitar. What an amazing work of art... that sounds good! The guitar had a very brilliant sound, much like that of a 610. The cool blue finish on the guitar - much lighter than the 614-series blue - had a quilt pattern on the back that looked like you were staring down into the water. The koi inlays were magnificent - a true work of art.

I was kind of saddened when I played this beautiful guitar, though. It was hanging in the back of a large guitar chain's store (name withheld), and had obviously been abused and neglected. It had pick scratches all over the top, and greasy fingerprints covered the neck and body. The Elixir strings were sadly word with much of the plastic hanging off where you would normally pick the strings, and the high E and B strings were coroded. It just made me sad to see such a fine rare work of art abused like that.

I really wish that those chain stores would take better care of their fine instruments. That Living Jewel guitar was obviously just a magnet for every passerby to take down off the wall and bang on. The people who do that are obviously not the people interested in buying such an instrument, and people who are would obviously NOT buy one that had been banged on by every greasy teenager in the store. <off the soapbox>

It was a VERY VERY nice guitar. Bob is building fine art that you can play.

J.R.

[GordonHLau]

I know how you feel J.R., MARS Music just opened in my area and they have one Blue Living Jewel guitar. I was there the fourth day they were open and the guitar already had numerous scratches on it.

[GRW3]

J.R.,

That is sad. I guess there is an advantage to places where you don't have to have a note from your mother to play a guitar but there should be some reason. You can't tell who has money by looks but you can tell abuse. I remember shopping at one of the planets in Austin last fall. There were some kids just beating on some Martins in the next room. (Made it hard to enjoy my Taylor shopping experience) All of a sudden they lit out like they were on fire. I walked over and sure enough one of the Martins had a broken sound board. I think it would pay for such chains to hire the occasional acoustic guitarist.

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George Wilson

[bghorm]

[J.R.- As the owner of a Taylor GSLJ, I am really bummed to read these tales of abuse. That's why my "jewel" is offered to view only for those special friends of mine who value and appreciate fine guitars and who I know will exercise the care necessary to preserve such guitars while playing. My feeling is that if you want to purchase a pristine, high-end acoustic guitar, you should stay away from the mega stores and go to a shop specializing in fine acoustic instruments... such as Music and More in Ft. Lauderdale, a local Taylor dealer, as well as other high end brands. No dings on new guitars there. You are more than welcome to play mine if you ever get to South Florida.


I was kind of saddened when I played this beautiful guitar, though. It was hanging in the back of a large guitar chain's store (name withheld), and had obviously been abused and neglected.

It was a VERY VERY nice guitar. Bob is building fine art that you can play.

J.R.[/B][/QUOTE]

[J.R. Rogers]

Hey, thanks for the kind offer, my new Florida friend! That's a beautiful guitar you own. I'm glad you treat it like the work of art that it is.

Regards,
J.R. Rogers

BTW: I was at the local "red planet" superstore just yesterday, examining their Taylor inventory with a friend. We were both disgusted to see a K14CE hanging on the wall with a one-inch gouge all the way down to the wood on the top of the guitar. Truly sad.

[Bo]

I have seen similar abuse at my local "planet"..this is the reason I would never by a nice instrument from them because it would just fuel the madness!

[GtarJohn]

It is truely sad folks...the only way to buy from the planet is to make friends with an employee and have him or her call you when they get a new Taylor in...that way you can be the first one to try it. I had been all over the place looking for Taylors...the "planet" had the best prices but worst of wear guitars. I decided to take my chances with one of the "kids"...he called me a week later and I went bought the guitar...I watched him pull it out of the carton...saved me some serious money but cost me my time.
John

[Marc Durso]

Please see my review of Bart's #100/100 LJ guitar in this forum.

Marc Durso

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Goodall / Thompson
http://communities.msn.com/Handmadeguitars for pics of my guitars
www.acttrue.com

[min7b5]

I got to see and play the Blue Koi guitar a few weeks ago. It was amazing to see it in person.W hat a work of art. I played it for a while but thought it was very thin and dead but then again I don't care for Maple acoustics in general. Also I was trying out 810s just before that so it was a huge contrast. That's one amazing looking guitar though.
________
MEDICAL MARIJUANA SEEDS

Yea, when I was playing up and down the Taylor line at the "red planet", looking for the guitar which "fit" me, I had to realize that there was no way I could buy ANY of the ones I was playing. Dings, scratches, sludge and smudge, and high E and B strings corroded BLUE.

I ended up buying from a local dealer who ordered a new one and didn't put it on the wall until I got a chance to try it.

Bob

[buddiesorg]

That is a terribly sad story. I'm glad that I was the first person to open the case (except for the store owner, of course) of my GSLJ. It should be a crime to ruin works of art like that.

yes,i have seen these things that you describe,but, my shopping experience at MARS MUSIC in ST.LOUIS.MO.,was a good one!!i must thank CHRIS ,the manager,who went above and beyond the call of duty!!!!!!give that man a raise and some more paid vacation!!!!!!i have an 810 now because of him,wow,i still cant believe it!!!

[Murph]

you know, I'm a grouchy old man for only being 33, but when I'm in Guitar Center or any other spot, I'll tell guys all the time to mellow out with the instruments and show some respect.
I told a guy last week he needed to supervise his kid (kid takes Martin Eric Clapton sig. off wall and DROPS it . . . kid is maybe 7 years old)
Dude says, 'what are you going to do about it?'
I says: Sir, you need to have respect for the property rights of others; it's fundamental to our country. You buy that guitar, your kid can dance on it. Have some respect.
He looks at me, decides he doesn't know if I'm crotchety or crazy and walks off.
About the same thing happened with some 311 fans at Guit Center. I confront and they're waiting for me outside. I'm with a friend who's off duty police. He simply flashes badge and youngsters were walking.
We've got to exercise our moral authority; we're (most of us) taxpaying, hardworking, legit citizens and we gotta just call it like it is and confront the disrespect. I'm stunned by the disregard people have for other folk's property.
Also, these shops should tell these characters to take a hike.
sincerely,
a grouchy old man at 33
murph'

all they would have to do is have a sign out policy so when you took it to play it you and a rep check it out.. its ok..you playyou bring it back to check in ...not ok...YOU PAY!that will stop some idiot from letting his seven year old jump on it,yes we want to exppose the youths to the wondrfull world of music,but,there are 150 dollar guitars in the next room...let them touch those!oh well,some peoples family tree dont fork......ya know what i mean..lol

[gmccall]

Hi Murp,

Aww gee, ya got me on a little soapbox here.

I know what you mean. Things get to me too.

I guess you could say I am a guitar pickin', crouchy, old, Nam vet, X-amphibian, x-boxer, black belt judoka, crazy Irishman, father of a 16 year old daughter, in his 50's, who can still bench 300lbs, and works out regularly, so he can back his statements up -- and I am also confrontational in various situations of disrespect to people and things around me.

...no, no "S" on my shirt...

The lack of respect for the guitars, the potential owners, the guitar manufacturers -- I approach the situation in the same way. However I do not stop at musical instruments.

Even thought I try to stay quiet, I demand personal respect, too. And NO foul language around my wife and daughter, either. I think I am a throw-back.

But I'm happy to find there are many decent young adults and people like you out there. I went on a mission trip last summer to provide the Christian guitar music for the trip, in addition to the work, and those kids are wonderful. I meet many young folks I respect.

But the ones who want to "dis" me will not have fun doing it. Someone has to let then know that they do not rule.

When asked what I'm going to do about it, I have no problem asking the "perp" how long he wants to stay "healthy". I of course do not think of myself as a tuff guy -- just confident I do handle the situation that I feel justified in addressing. I do that because if I am going to say something...I actually do follow through.

By the way, I ride with a police friend on patrol once in a while. Great fun! Probably could have been a guitar pickin' cop.

I know this digresses a bit from Taylor instruments, but I did mention the word "Guitar"

Continue to advocate respect, Murp. You aren't alone, sir. Someone like myself is probably only few feet away...
-grm